The Christmas Tree

‘Twas the night before Christmas and all through the wood
Not a creature was stirring, they were snuggled in good

The snow was now falling and the water was ice
But inside of the tree, it was warm, it was nice

Their mother had left for a late winter snack
and three little squirrels were waiting for her to come back

They snuggled and twitched, their tails kept them warm
As the wind started to blow with the cold winter’s storm

The sun rose and it fell as the days came and went
The squirrels were now hungry, their food was all spent

They longed for their mother, they began to feel fear
Any minute they hoped she soon would appear

When outside the tree there arose such a clatter
Three babies emerged to see what was the matter

A man walking along with a dog at his side
It wasn’t their mother so they scurried to hide

But with slippery ice and the wet winter snow
And the tree bough that rocked in the wind ‘to and fro’

The squirrels lost their footing, they fell from the tree
And into the snow they plopped; “one, two and three!”

The man, he had seen them, he gathered his pup
And reached into the snow and gently scooped them all up

And into his jacket he wrapped the babies, so small
That fell from their nest in the tree, far too tall

And he knew at that moment he would not get his wood
The message from nature was much understood

She dropped in his path these babies just there
Who had long lost their mother and would die without care

So the woodsman he trudged up the hill in the snow
He could now see the smoke, not much further to go

Her cages were lined up and covered with care
Little creatures were healing and growing in there

He held out the bundle as she opened the door
He knew a warm bed and milk was in store

He left the wildlife rehabilitators home filled with glee
The spirit of Christmas he had found under a tree….

Written from a wild heart by:
Annette King, Animal Rescuer
Wild Heart Ranch Wildlife Rescue
Claremore, Oklahoma
www.wildheartranch.org